Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me, right? Wrong. Weak, or, wimpy words are an epidemic that needs to be put to rest.
Respect is something we all want to gain within our every day lives and within our professional lives. Eliminating any aspect that could take away from that is essential. One of the biggest things we think of in regards to this are wimpy words. Words such as “just” can really change the feel and importance of what you are trying to say. Look as these two examples: “I am calling you in regards to the email I sent you last night, have you read it yet?” or “I am calling you in regards to the email I sent you last night. I was just wondering if you read it?” Which has a firmer feel to it? Adding the word ‘just’ gives it a softer feel, giving a sense of your vulnerability. You want to eliminate any opportunity for someone to feel as though they can control you or how the conversation should go. Once this happens you can potentially lose control of the situation. Which can be hard to get control of again.
Another wimpy word would be “try”. This gives the impression that you do not feel it can be accomplished, or that you do not have much faith in it or even yourself. “I will try to reach out to them and try to have an answer for you.” Instead, phrase is this way “I will reach out to them, then, I will be in touch with you as soon as I have an answer.” Phrasing it the second way gives a stronger sense of presence and conviction.
When you have to send an email, or even speak in front of a group of people, have a coworker spot check your work. Doing it yourself does not always work. You can read the same paragraph three times and miss the same mistake each time. This happens because you know what you mean and what it should say. An outsider, however, does not. They can also catch any grammatical errors you may have missed as well.
Eliminating wimpy or weak words is especially important if you are considered to be ‘client facing’. Having this position can sometimes put you between a rock and a hard place. Standing your ground, using a strong vocabulary and presence, will gain more respect from coworkers and your clients. Stop the excuses, believe in yourself, and let it show in everything you do.
If this is something you found to be useful, or interesting, contact us today so that we can share more of our ideas!
